Benjamin Belfer

Benjamin Belfer is a Managing Director of the Third Avenue Management, LLC. He received his BA and MBA from Columbia University. He is on the Board of Directors at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and a trustee at the Lincoln Square Synagogue. Benjamin is the director and past Chairman of the American Friends of the Saroka Medical Center of the Negev, and was part of the Wexner Heritage Foundation, NY Class of 94. He is married to Michelle Friedman, and they have three children: Emily, Sarah, and Rachel.

Stephen Bodurtha

Michael Brill

Michael Brill is Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income in the investment banking division of Canaccord Genuity, Inc. He previously held senior leadership positions at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital.  Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Yale University.  Michael and his wife, Judy Abel, are the founders of Yavneh-The Jewish Living Project, a Manhattan partnership minyan. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Wall Street Synagogue.  Michael and Judy live in Manhattan with their three children, Joshua, Rebecca and Noah.

Norman Bulow

Norman Bulow served as an Executive Vice President of the Jos. E. Seagram and Sons Company before going into the investment banking and brokerage business. He is a former Treasurer of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun in New York City, where he and his wife, Tova have been active members for many years.

Tova Bulow

Tova Bulow is a long-time member of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun and was one of the founders of its Bikkur Cholim Shabbat Services and the Women's Chevra Kadisha. She was also a volunteer in the Hospice Unit at Beth Israel Medical Center. Tova is a graduate of Barnard and holds Masters degrees from Columbia Teachers College and also from Sarah Lawrence in Health Advocacy. Her primary involvement has always been with her children and grandchildren. Tova is an active participant in learning opportunities both at Drisha Institute for Jewish Education and at Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun. She is married to Norman Bulow.

Dr. Abe Cherrick

Dr. Cherrick is a pain management specialist at Capitol Spine and Pain Center in northern Virginia. With his acknowledged expertise in non-surgical pain management, he has been chosen as Board Examiner for the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation as well as Diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management. He holds degrees from Washington University and the University of  Missouri School of Medicine. Abe’s synagogue life has revolved around his role as a Baal Tefilah at Beth Sholom Congregation in Potomac, Maryland, where he leads services on various occasions, including the High Holidays. He is married to Debbie Sunshine and is the father of three children:  Danielle, Lauren, and Efram. He remains connected to his hometown through his passionate attachment to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Dr. Charles H. Feldman z"l

Charles (“Chuck”) Feldman was a distinguished physician and a respected community leader. He was an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University and served as president of the New York Allergy Society. He was president of the New York Board of Directors for Ohr Torah Stone Institutions of Israel, served as the education committee chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Moriah School in Englewood, NJ,  and was President of the Board of Trustees for the Frisch School in Paramus, NJ. Along with his wife, Rella, Dr. Feldman was a founding member of Congregation Keter Torah in Teaneck, NJ.

Jeffrey S. Gurock

Dr. Gurock is the Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History at Yeshiva University. He is the author/editor of fourteen books. His works include "A Modern Heretic and a Traditional Community: Mordechai M. Kaplan, Orthodoxy and American Judaism" (Columbia Univeristy Press, 1997). In 1998, "A Modern Heretic" was awarded the bi-annual Saul Viener Prize from the American Jewish Historical Society for the best book written in that field. Dr. Gurock served from 1982-2002 as Associate Editor of "American Jewish History", the leading academic journal in that field. He is also the Chair of the Academic Council of the American Jewish Historical Society. His latest book, "Orthodox Jews in America" (Indiana University Press, 2009) is the first comprehensive history of the many ways Orthodox men and women have interacted with each other, with other Jews and the American environment as they coped with religious freedom, economic opportunity and social acceptance.

Ari Hait, Secretary of the Board

Ari Hait is a Partner with the law firm of Kaye Scholer LLP where for over twenty-five years he has specialized in commercial real estate and real estate finance. Ari is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Yeshiva College. He is a former President of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and currently serves on HIR’s Executive Board. Ari and his wife, Beth, live in Riverdale, New York.

Stewart Harris, Vice Chair of the Board

Stewart Harris is a businessman and President of SGH Services, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in business and organizational development. He previously served as President and CEO of S&H Citadel, Inc., an incentive marketing company and Executive Vice President of Carlson Marketing Group. Stewart is a graduate of Yeshiva University, BA in Mathematics.

Hillel M. Jaffe

Hillel M. Jaffe holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, and completed an MBA and post graduate studies in economics at Columbia University. Hillel has taught economics at Barnard College and Columbia University, worked in international finance, and has been an investment professional for the past twenty-nine years. He  is currently a Vice President at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. Additionally, he serves on Boards of several nonprofit organizations, both domestically and internationally. Hillel and his wife, Madeline, have three married children and a grandchild, and are long-time residents of Riverdale, NY.

Howard Jonas, Vice Chair of the Board

Howard Jonas is the founder and Chairman of IDT Corporation, a leading international telecommunications company. A graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, he received a BA in Economics from Harvard University. Mr. Jonas is an extremely active philanthropist and serves as a trustee on numerous university, hospital, religious and social service organization boards. Mr. Jonas and his wife Debbie are proud parents to nine children.

Daniel Katz

Daniel Katz graduated from Washington University's undergraduate business school and its Law School, and currently works in real estate investment. He is the President of the Friends of Israel Scouts and serves on the National Board for the Zionist Organization of America. Daniel is the President of Boca Raton Synagogue, the President of the Hillel Day School in Boca Raton and on the board of the Yeshiva High School in Boca. He is also on the boards of Yad Vashem and the South Palm Beach Jewish Federation.

Steven Laufer

Steven Laufer in an economist at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in Washington D.C., where he studies housing and mortgage markets. He earned his Bachelors degree in Physics from Harvard University and his PhD in Economics from New York University. He is a member of Ohev Shalom - the National Synagogue and is a former board member of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale - The Bayit. Steven and his wife, Chani, are the proud parents of three children, Shoshana, Ari and Erez.

Alan Leavitt

Alan Leavitt is the managing partner of Lane Capital Partners, a privately-held real estate investment company he founded in 2008. He oversees all aspects of loan acquisitions, due diligence, deal execution, and portfolio management. Before founding LCP, Alan served as Managing Member of a major discretionary fund which purchased over $700 million face value of real-estate backed notes. Alan also served as President of a New York based Mezzanine lender, where he originated over $100 million in commercial mortgages. In addition, Mr. Leavitt has taken equity positions as owner-operator of New York multifamily apartment buildings.

Steven Lieberman, Chairman of the Board

Steven Lieberman is a partner at the firm of Rothwell, Figg, Ernst & Manbeck in Washington, D.C.  He specializes in intellectual property and constitutional law.  Mr. Lieberman has also devoted a substantial portion of his practice for the past 25 years to pro bono work on behalf of the Jewish community.

Mr. Lieberman has served on the Board of YCT since its founding.  He is currently a Vice President of Beth Sholom Congregation & Talmud Torah in Potomac, Maryland, and a member of the Board and Vice-President of the Association for Safe International Road Travel (“ASIRT”); and has served on the Board of Directors of the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School.  He has been honored by Ohev Sholom – The National Synagogue, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School and the Association for Safe International Road Travel for his work on behalf of those organizations.

Marcel Lindenbaum

Marcel Lindenbaum is passionately committed to re-establishing a dynamic halakhik Judaism that confronts the challenges of today within the framework of halakha. He is the Founder of Midreshet Lindenbaum in Israel, an advanced study curriculum for women, and the co-founder of the Orthodox Caucus. Mr. Lindenbaum reconstructed the RCA Bet-Din into the Bet-Din of America and served as its first President. A graduate of Yeshiva University, Mr. Lindenbaum serves as the Chairman of the Board of MGS Corporation of New Jersey and Associated Companies. Mr. Lindenbaum is the former chairman of the Board of the Gesher Foundation in Israel and the former Vice President of Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is married to Belda Lindenbaum and is the father of 5 and grandfather to 18.

Irwin Major

Irwin Major is president of Arielle International, Inc., which supplies and finances fiber optic communications projects for broadband providers and energy transmission companies.  He is also a board member of American Friends of Beit Morasha and a former officer of Lincoln Square Synagogue.  Irwin views learning with Rabbi Linzer as the educational highlight of his week. Irwin, and his wife, Tamar, are members of Darkhei Noam and The Jewish Center and are the proud parents of Ariella, Orli and Erez.

Daniel Perla

Alan Pines

Alan Pines is a real estate developer and a Partner at Millennium Homes and BNE Real Estate Group. Alan is founder and past president of Congregation Etz Chaim in Livingston, NJ, and currently serves on the board of the Claims Conference and as vice president of Bris Avraham. He has served as chairman of the Israel Bonds Holocaust Remembrance Committee and currently serves on the national board of Israel Bonds, and is an alumnus of the Wexner Heritage Program. Alan and his wife Elisa are founders of the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. They are the proud parents of three children.

Dr. Kenneth Prager

Kenneth Prager is a pulmonologist and Professor of Clinical Medicine at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is Director of Medical Ethics and Chairman of the Medical Ethics Committee of Columbia University Medical Center. He lectures annually at The Ben Gurion University Medical School for International Health in Beersheba.  In the 1980’s, he traveled to the USSR and was heavily involved in the medical and humanitarian problems of Soviet Refuseniks.

Kenny and his wife Jeannie have lived in Englewood, New Jersey, for 40 years and are affiliated with Congregation Ahavath Torah. They have four children and six grandchildren. Kenny and Jeannie were both heavily involved in Moriah School of Englewood when their children were young.

Heschel Raskas

Heschel Raskas is a CEO of a family food business. He has previously served as a Professor of Pathology and Microbiology, as well as a director of a Center for Basic Cancer research. Heschel has been part of the Joint Budgeting council of the National Council of Jewish Federations. He has served as President of both the Young Israel of St. Louis and the Block Yeshiva High School of St. Louis.

Jack Schwartz, Vice Chair of the Board

Josh Weiner

Josh Weiner is a managing director at Maverick Capital Ltd in New York.  He received a Bachelor of Science in Economics at the Wharton School.  He is a member of the New Leadership Network of AIPAC.  Josh is an active member of the Ramaz/KJ community and is on the Ramaz Alumni Council.  He is married to Ariel Groveman Weiner, and they have three children.

Arthur Weiss

Rabbi Avi Weiss, President

Rabbi Avi Weiss is the Founder and President of YCT Rabbinical School.  He is Senior Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, a modern and Open Orthodox congregation of 850 families in Bronx, NY. Rabbi Weiss is the National President of the AMCHA – the Coalition for Jewish Concerns, a grassroots organization that speaks out for Jewish causes throughout the world.  He has authored two books: "Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women’s Prayer Groups" and "Spiritual Activism: A Jewish Guide to Leadership and Repairing the World."

Elie Weiss

Dr. Rachel Yehuda

Dr. Yehuda is currently Director of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Program at the Bronx Veterans Administration Medical Center in Bronx, NY, a Professor of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, an active researcher in the field of posttraumatic stress, and is currently Vice President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). Dr. Yehuda has authored more than 150 books, book chapters and journal articles, and has received awards for her research. Her work as Founder and Director of the Specialized Treatment Program for Holocaust Survivors and their Families has been recognized in the Congressional Record. Dr. Yehuda received her PhD in Neurochemistry / Neuroendocrinology and her MS in Biological Psychology Neurochemistry / Neuroendocrinology from the University of Massachusetts, and completed her postdoctoral training in Biological Psychiatry at Yale Medical School.

Hon. Dr. Dov Zakheim

Dov Zakheim is a Senior Fellow at the CNA Corporation, a federally funded think tank, and Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Until 2010 he was Senior Vice President of Booz, Allen & Hamilton, one of the world's leading consulting and high technology support firms. He served as the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Defense. He was corporate vice president of System Planning Corp., a technology, research and analysis firm, and served as chief executive officer of SPC International Corp., a subsidiary specializing in political, military and economic consulting. During the 2000 presidential campaign, he served as a senior foreign policy advisor to then-Governor Bush. Dr. Zakheim was Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Planning and Resources in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), where he played an active role in the Department's system acquisition and strategic planning processes. Earlier, he was employed by the National Security and International Affairs Division of the Congressional Budget Office. 

Dr. Zakheim received his BA in government from Columbia University, studied at the London School of Economics, and received a doctorate in economics and politics at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford. He earned his smicha from HaGaon Harav Shmuel Walkin in 1973.  A frequent lecturer on both contemporary Middle East security issues and themes in Jewish history and halakha, he has been a visiting scholar in synagogues and Jewish communities both in the United States and overseas and has published numerous essays in Modern Orthodox journals and books. Dr. Zakheim has been an adjunct professor at the National War College, Yeshiva University, Columbia University and Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., where he was Presidential Scholar. Dr. Zakheim has written, lectured and provided media commentary on national defense and foreign policy issues domestically and internationally.

Alexandra Zizmor

Alexandra Zizmor is the Founder and Managing Director of Consultative Sales Group, a global sales consulting and training firm.  She is a fundraiser and philanthropist and serves on the Boards of several non-for-profit organizations.  Alexandra and her husband Jonathan live in Riverdale, New York.

Dr. Jonathan Zizmor

Dr. Jonathan Zizmor earned his BA from New York University and MD from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Over the last thirty years, he has built a successful dermatology practice in Manhattan. Among the first doctors to advertise their services, his ubiquitous subway and television ads have made him "a cultural icon," according to The New Yorker magazine. He is former Chief of Dermatology at St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City and is also the author of ten books for the lay public on skin care. Harper's Bazaar magazine has recognized him as one of the Top Doctors in America. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Yeshiva College.